Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf here.
Tea Description:
Four Seasons of Spring is named because it produces four flushes (or harvests) each year that have a flavor and quality of that of a spring flush. This varietal was cultivated in Taiwan from a strain of TieGuanYin (Iron Goddess of Mercy), in the 1980s. This delightful oolong varietal has been cultivated for its sweet, floral flavors and expertly processed by hand. It is light yet buttery with lingering flowery finish of morning gardenias and warm milk.
Learn more about this tea here.
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Taster’s Review:
This Four Seasons Oolong from Simple Loose Leaf is absolutely delightful!
The appearance of the dry leaf is quite what you’d expect from a Four Seasons Oolong – beautiful, forest-y green leaves that have been rolled into small pellets. The aroma is a strong, flowery essence.
To brew this tea, I grabbed my gaiwan and I measured out 1 bamboo scoop of tea into the bowl of the vessel. Then I heated freshly filtered water to 180°F and poured water into the vessel and let the tea “rinse” for 15 seconds. Then I strained of the liquid and discarded it. I poured more hot water into the gaiwan and allowed this first infusion to steep for 45 seconds. For each subsequent infusion, I added another 15 seconds onto the steep time. I combined two infusions into one cup, so my first cup was composed of infusions 1 and 2, while my second cup was composed of infusions 3 and 4 … and so on.
Yeah, yeah, those of you who are familiar with my posts are probably also very familiar with how I steep my Oolong teas. To those of you who are, I apologize for sounding somewhat redundant! The brewing steps above are written for those who might not be as familiar with my brewing style.
Anyway … I find that the fragrance of the brewed tea is still very floral but the scent is somewhat subdued compared to that of the dry tea leaves. This aroma translates to the flavor, because I’m tasting flower! The description above suggests gardenias and yeah, that’s what I’m tasting. I’m also getting a sweet, creamy flavor and texture. The texture is soft and smooth and creamy! Quite lovely!
I love the way the floral notes mingle with the creamy notes, because I find that these somewhat vanilla-like tones soften the sharp notes of the flower. I like that the creaminess here is not a heavy taste. It doesn’t seem to coat my taste buds the way some creamy Oolong teas can. Oh sure, I do love those sumptuous, creamy Oolongs but it’s nice to have a lighter approach now and then!
The first cup was finished before I knew it (hey, it’s good stuff!), and I found that my second cup was even nicer than the first. The floral notes are stronger but the creaminess is still there to soften the sharp notes. It is smooth and luxurious to sip from start to finish. And I found myself picking up on some hints of apple and melon around mid-sip. This cup seemed fresher and more round, with better developed flavors.
My third cup surprised me! I didn’t expect it to be creamy. By third cup with many Oolong teas, the creamy notes have waned, but I’m still getting a fairly strong cream flavor. Oh, sure, it has softened somewhat, it isn’t quite as strong as the first two cups, but I’m still getting a pleasing note of vanilla-esque cream. The floral notes are still there, and in the distance, I started to pick up the faintest hint of vegetation. The aforementioned fruit notes were beginning to emerge a little more, but these were still somewhat distant as well.
Overall, one of the nicest Four Seasons Oolong teas that I’ve tried. Another big win from this month’s box from Simple Loose Leaf! Have you subscribed yet?
Organic Rose Ginger Oolong Tea from Aftelier Perfumed Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Aftelier Perfumed Teas
Product Description:
Organic Muzha Tieguanyin oolong tea, from Taiwan, is a rare tea that is oxidized and roasted for two days by a traditional tea master. This full-bodied oolong opens with ripe fruit notes and finishes with a smooth aftertaste, blending beautifully with the spicy rose flavor that Mandy creates with our Aftelier Chef’s Essences: Fresh Ginger and Turkish Rose. These tightly rolled leaves unfurl during the first steeping, and may be re-infused up to 4 times, retaining their fragrance.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I reviewed this tea previously – well, no, not exactly. I reviewed a tea that is similar, but since writing that review, Mandy from Aftelier Perfumes changed her recipe for the tea blend slightly to use an organic Muzha Tieguanyin Oolong tea rather than the Tieguanyin she used for the tea that I sampled for that first review.
And I’ve come to learn (and greatly appreciate!) that organic definitely DOES make a difference. It is especially noticeable (by taste) with tea bases (tisane bases) like rooibos, but I have also noticed differences between conventionally grown Oolong teas versus organically grown Oolong teas. Yes, the possibility exists that the differences are only mentally imposed differences – that is to say, I think, “Oh, this is organic and therefore it is better,” but even with that mentally imposed difference, I still taste something better.
Hey, let’s face it, organic IS better. It’s better for the earth and I believe it’s better for the tea drinker as well.
But really, I don’t need to justify revisiting this tea, because it’s a remarkable tea and I love the teas that are crafted by Aftelier.
I steeped this the way I typically steep an Oolong – in my gaiwan – performing a 15 second rinse and then I steeped the first infusion for 1 minute and added 15 seconds to each subsequent infusion. I combine two infusions in each cup, so therefore the first cup was composed of the first two infusions and the second cup was composed of the third and fourth infusion, and so on.
I love the way the rose and ginger play together on the palate. It is sweet, floral and just a little zesty from the peppery notes of the ginger. The ginger does not bring a strong, heavily spiced presence to the sip, just a gentle, peppery warmth. However, after sip is gone, the ginger lingers in the aftertaste and I can taste (and feel!) the ginger on my palate. It’s still a fairly mild heat. I really like it because I generally think of rose to be a summery type of tea essence, it seems to bring a sense of summer to the cup, but the ginger gives this a cozy sort of flavor that is distinctly autumnal.
As does the Tieguanyin, which has a delicate earthiness and wisps of smoke in the background. The Tieguanyin has a light creaminess to it and a slight buttery taste that with the roasted notes offers more of a sweet, browned butter flavor rather than a fresh cream buttery type of taste. I also like how the roasted notes seem to diminish the presence of a strong floral and vegetal tone to the Tieguanyin, because it allows the rose to really shine through without competing with other strong floral notes. This roasting process also allows the natural fruit tones of the tea to develop and intermingle with the essences of Turkish Rose and Fresh Ginger!
The slightly smoky, roasty-toasty notes emerged a little more prominently in the second cup (infusions 3 and 4), and I was very pleased to find that the rose and ginger notes remained for these infusions. The rose notes are softening somewhat in this cup and is more reminiscent of the taste of the air that surrounds while strolling through a garden of roses. The smell and flavor of the rose is distinct and definitely there. 
The ginger is warming on the palate, especially in the aftertaste. The Tieguanyin is sweet, not quite as creamy as the first cup, but still quite toasty tasting with wonderful notes of stone fruit. Warm and sweet and beautifully fragrant, just like summer, but also cozy and comforting like autumn. A really beautiful cup.
I was surprised to find that those wonderful rose and ginger notes were still present in the third cup (infusions 5 and 6)! With many flavored Oolong teas, the flavoring tends to be indistinguishable by the time I’ve reached the fifth and sixth infusion. The tea is still delicious, of course, because the Oolong is still flavorful on its own, but usually the flavors have softened to the point of barely noticeable. That is definitely NOT the case with this tea, though.
The rose is still lovely and the ginger still warm and peppery. Sure, these flavors are softer now than they were with the first cup, but, that’s alright, because I am getting plenty of flavor from the Tieguanyin – sweet, fruity, toasty, nutty flavors – but I can also still taste sweet floral notes from the rose and zesty notes of ginger.
This is a really lovely and unique flavored Oolong – you’re not going to find another one like this anywhere!
Earl of Anxi Blend from Verdant Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Tea Description:
Traditional Earl Grey is a classic, great for every season. With the Earl of Anxi, we start not with a black tea, but with our Master Zhang’s Hand-Picked Tieguanyin to give the bergamot a sweet, bright base and reinforce the floral citrus notes. We draw out the citrus sweetness with a uniquely creamy and rich orange peel, and crystallize the florals into a prominent position with jasmine blossoms.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is really a unique take on Earl Grey – unique but very enjoyable!
What is so remarkable about this blend is how incredibly balanced it is. This Earl of Anxi has a very balanced fragrance as well as flavor and the result is a very smooth tea. Unbelievably smooth!
Verdant Tea has found a way to balance all that is unique about Earl Grey to create an uncommonly smooth version of the classic tea. First, let’s think about the aroma of an Earl Grey tea, because let’s face it, that’s usually the first thing you notice about Earl Grey … that beautiful scent of bergamot! But the fragrant note of the bergamot is something that is noticeable not just by scent but also distinguishable by taste. That’s why sometimes bergamot in an Earl Grey can come off as “perfume-y” because one not only smells the heady aroma of the bergamot orange but also tastes it. Don’t believe me? Try plugging your nose when you drink Earl Grey and you’ll notice that it tastes different.
The way that the Oolong tea melds with the floral notes of the jasmine and the fruit tones of the orange and goji berry is really remarkable. It is so creamy and fluid. Smooth like silk.
To my recollection, I’ve only tried Frankincense in one or two other teas, but based upon my memory of those experiences, I can taste the Frankincense now. It has a somewhat perfume-ish quality to it, very aromatic and exotic to the nose and to the palate.
The frankincense and saffron offer contrast and balance to the fragrant flavor of the bergamot, as does the jasmine, while the goji berry accentuates the citrus tones. The oolong offers a creamy taste that is the basis for the smooth flavor and texture of the tea. It is the conduit for the incredible smoothness of this tea.
A sweet, beautifully balanced, delicately spiced, exotic cup of tea that is so delightful that it is almost impossible to describe. It is one of those teas that you MUST try to believe. It’s an amazing tea.
Five Year Aged Tieguanyin Oolong Tea from Verdant Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Tea Description:
This Five Year Aged Tieguanyin is an exciting and unique offering in that it manages to preserve the entire spring flower and fresh grass essence of the original leaf, all while tempering the flavor with darker, more grounded notes. Most aged Tieguanyin is pan fired again and again to bring out dark caramel notes. This is not a dark roasted tea in any sense.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
An aged Oolong? I’ve had a few aged Oolongs in the past, but, I am still very interested to try an aged Oolong when it comes into my radar, as was the case the last time I ordered from Verdant Tea and I noticed this Five Year Aged Tieguanyin Oolong Tea … so I had to put a sample of this in my cart to try!
And I’m really glad I did. This is really lovely!
This has much of the flavor that I’d expect from a fresher, green Tieguanyin, and some of the rich, earthy notes of a roasted Tieguanyin. This tea is beautifully complex.
My first cup (the combination of infusions 1 and 2 following a quick 15 second rinse) has a sweet note and an exotic floral quality to it. There is a slight grassy taste to it as well, and this grassy note falls somewhere between a vegetative note of a green Tieguanyin and the hay-like note I’d notice in a white tea. The texture is soft and lighter than the creaminess I might ordinarily notice from a Tieguanyin. This is not buttery … it is light and refreshing!
The second cup (infusions 3 and 4) had a similar mouthfeel … light and smooth. Here, I noticed the floral note becoming more distinct. The tasting notes on the Verdant website suggest a lotus-like flavor and I notice the lotus notes more with this cup than I did with the first cup (which was more of a non-specific floral note). A similar sweetness here, but less of the vegetative quality that I noticed with the first cup. Now, I notice a slight … fruity quality to the cup, and a bit more astringency to this cup (I noticed no astringency with the first cup).
With the third cup (infusions 5 and 6) I notice a slightly creamier texture than I experienced with either the first or the second cups. Still not quite what I’d call “buttery” … this cup is closer to that than either of the two previous cups. I suspect this is the “malt” notes that are suggested on the website, because yes, this tastes more like a creamy malt-like flavor than a buttery tone. The floral notes are less obvious with this cup, I find that the flavors seem to have “melded” in a uniform kind of way … becoming more of a singular flavor that consists of several characteristics rather than several clarified notes.
Of the three cups that I enjoyed of this tea, I would say that cup #3 was my favorite (although the first two were quite delightful also!) so this tea is definitely one you want to take on a long journey so you might enjoy many delicious infusions from it.
Another top-notch tea from Verdant Tea … I’d expect nothing less from them, and they always seem to exceed my high expectations!
Aged Traditional Anxi Tieguanyin from Verdant
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Tieguanyin Oolong
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Tea Description:
A rich warming Tieguanyin with chocolate barley notes and traditional creamy floral aftertastes. . . .
The early steepings of this tea are surprisingly more delicate than the aroma would imply. There are subtle notes of lime and the thick saffron qualities of a green Tieguanyin. The mouthfeel is buttery like flaky pastry with a slow nuanced build-up of warm caramel notes. A velvety texture starts to come through with orchid-like floral undertones, and sweetness that extends long into the aftertaste.
The early steepings use the deep caramel qualities that the aging and roasting process introduce to truly accentuate everything that is wonderful about green Tieguanyin. The later steepings move into new territory with warming sensations particularly suited to cooler weather. The chocolate notes of the aroma come through as flavor like thick creamy Italian hot chocolate that unfolds into a warm in the chest like that of a great red wine.
Notes of puffed rice and barley start to build up and act as a contrast to the lingering floral qualities. The alternation between deep warming sensations and tingling florals creates an intriguing mouth watering juiciness. This is a very satisfying brew that balances the traditional charcoal-roasted quality of Anxi Tieguanyin with the best elements of the new greener style of processing.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a body and soul warming temptation of a tea. It delights the taste buds but also the mind in its calming and wonderful way. This is one of those teas who’s layers are complex yet not trying to evade your senses. Each and every element of this tea comes forward and presents itself to you and does not make you work to figure it out. The layers of the flavor within this tea are so delightful and one at a time they evolve, sometimes melding together, other times, standing alone, but each flavor in the profile provided by Verdant Tea is noticeable without any effort.
At first it is lightly smoky and roasty, a well done toast taste, the barley gives it a full mouthfeel and makes you feel you are drinking something good for you like a hardy warm breakfast cereal! But then it becomes caramelized in your mouth like a french dessert. Just then you will find that the light lime zest comes forward and does a gentle sweep of your palate to cleanse it for the next layer of flavor to come but before that hits your taste buds you get a quick tease by the flavor of saffron and just as you are thinking “oh please give me more saffron” the floral notes come dancing onto your taste buds leaving this lovely delicate yet intoxicating lingering flavor of orchid!
The result – a taste that is robust and toasty yet very fresh and springy as well. This is one of those tea profiles that could do well any month of the year as it makes you feel warm and cozy yet wakes you up with those fresh salad like notes of spring and summer.
The after taste is mostly of a roasted toasted oolong however when you breath in with your mouth open you get that fresh spring like flavor with the floral notes dancing about. Leaving you thinking your breath must certainly smell like flowers haha. While this is a roasted Tieguanyin I can’t help but think about country roads lined with wildflowers and the warm sunshine all about wide open fields so if this would be more of a “winter” tea it sure would make you feel like its summer time so that is not a bad thing at all!
This tea is exquisite! I love it and I am a huge fan of oolongs but honestly I feel that many people, even perhaps those who are not oolong fans really should try!
I really enjoy that the notes are so easily to distinguish! Sometimes “complex” teas can be complex to the taster. This one is not pretentious at all.
Now on the downside, currently Verdant Tea is sold out. It happened in the blink of an eye. On the positive note, Verdant is currently looking to refurnish their stash of this tea:
“We will be going to China to personally track down a larger cache of aged Tieguanyin in October. Stay tuned…”
I trust that this will happen! I have to, I want more! Verdant also now offers a Rewards Point System! Be sure to check that out and keep your eyes peeled for more of this tea so you can get some once it is back in! A tea like this won’t last long once restocked so be sure to get yours before I get it all.
